Roasted Tomatoes with Pomegranate Molasses, Sumac and Almonds

Last weekend I made slow roasted tomatoes with balsamic vinegar. Today I wanted to try a couple of variations. First I wanted to roast the tomatoes a little more quickly so I increased the oven temperature by 50%.

We love Middle Eastern food in our house so I wanted to use pomegranate molasses and sumac in this version of the tomatoes. It seems like I am always reaching for the pomegranate molasses and sumac lately. Finally I decided a few slivered almonds would be tasty and in keeping with the Middle Eastern theme.

Roasted Tomatoes with Pomegranate Molasses, Sumac and Almonds
Serves 8

Ingredients:

Approximately 17 Roma tomatoes (enough to fill a half sheet pan)
2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon of pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
½ teaspoon of sumac powder
¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon of slivered almonds

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Cut the Roma tomatoes in half top to bottom. Remove the stem end and the seed sacs.

Combine the pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice (to thin the molasses), and lemon juice and whisk to combine.

Use a spoon of put a little of the juice into each tomato. I think I used about a ½ teaspoon per tomato half (so not much really). Next sprinkle the tomatoes with the sumac and kosher salt and put the pan in the oven.

Check the tomatoes in one hour to see if they are a texture you like. I roasted my tomatoes for an hour and fifteen minutes. I sprinkled the almonds onto the tomatoes just before serving so they retained their crunchy texture.

Nutritional information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 89.06
Calories From Fat (11%) - 9.75

Total Fat - 1.14g
Saturated Fat - 0.12g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 73.26mg
Potassium - 695.7mg
Total Carbohydrates - 19.43g
Fiber - 3.58g
Sugar - 12.43g
Protein - 2.77g

Comments:

If you like Middle Eastern food I think you will really like these tomatoes. The sweet and tart flavor from the pomegranate molasses works well with the tomatoes, lemon juice and sumac. The flavor of these tomatoes is complex and yet familiar. The crunchy almonds are a nice textural variation next to the soft tomatoes. I think this is my new go to tomato side dish for when I am having Middle Eastern food.

Muhammara

(pictured: Muhamarra on cucumber rounds)

If you like hummus and baba ghanoush I think you will like muhammara. This dip is sweet, a little spicy (if you add the harissa) and tart from the pomegranate molasses. There is a bit of smokiness in the background from the cumin. The walnuts make the dip rich and satisfying and add omega 3 fats and have been linked to a reduction in cancer, cardiovascular disease and cholesterol.

Traditionally muhammara is used with kabobs or as a bread dip, like hummus. I find that it also makes a nice dip for veggies, or as a sauce for wrap sandwiches.

Muhammara - my lower fat version
Makes 12 generous servings

Ingredients:

3 roasted red peppers, seeded
½ cup of walnut pieces, toasted
½ cup of whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses
½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, toasted and ground
½ teaspoon of harissa – optional but good
¼ cup of pomegranate juice, or enough to make a smooth consistency

Directions:

Put everything but the pomegranate juice in the food processor or blender and process until smooth. If the muhammara is too thick add pomegranate juice, a little at a time, to thin it out.

Pour into a container with a lid and refrigerate until needed. This has more flavor at room temperature.

Traditionally this sauce is emulsified with olive oil. I didn’t want to add that much fat but you could eliminate the pomegranate juice and substitute olive oil for a traditional variation.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 71.96
Calories From Fat (41%) - 29.78

Total Fat - 3.39g
Saturated Fat - 0.33g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 13.03mg
Potassium - 118.12mg
Total Carbohydrates - 9.66g
Fiber - 1.26g
Sugar - 5.52g
Protein - 1.42g

Comments:

I find this to be a nice change from hummus. Even my husband, who isn't crazy about bell peppers, likes this dip. If you are looking for something that is a little unusual this is a nice change.

Green Tea with Ginger, Pomegranate and Lemon

We change our morning beverages with great regularity. I get bored with the same beverage (unless it is a double shot of espresso) every morning. Recently I was reading an article about the benefit of consuming green tea with vitamin C. According to the science by pairing green tea and vitamin C the antioxidants were able to withstand the non-acidic environment of the intestines allowing you to absorb 5 times more of the catechins.

Then I read another article that indicated that it is the ascorbic acid, not citric acid that protects the catechins. The second article indicated that you should have 1/10th of a teaspoon of ascorbic acid to each 8 ounce cup of green tea.

Well, now doesn't that just make everything clear as mud? Either way, I think I am going to continue to add lemon, since I know it has other nutritional benefits. I am also going to try the ascorbic acid in the tea. I will you know soon if it changes the taste of the tea.

Another article was discussing a Japanese study that showed that drinking green, and not smoking, extended your life span by years. The amount of green tea made a difference, as did whether you were male or female. But I already drink 10 cups of green tea a day so this article encouraged me to continue doing what I am.

Now, we don’t normally add lemon to my green tea, but for potentially 5 times more health bang for the same amount of tea we were ready to give it a try. Both my husband and I thought this was a very nice combination that we enjoyed drinking. I added the pomegranate juice because it is another nutritional superstar that is reported to fight cancer.

Green Tea with Ginger, Pomegranate and Lemon
Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 green tea bags

16 ounces of almost boiling water
¼ - ½ inch of fresh ginger, thinly sliced into coins
2 tablespoons of pomegranate juice
1/8 of a lemon

Directions:

Brew the tea and ginger for 10 minutes so that all the maximum amount of nutrients will steep into the mug. When you remove the tea and ginger slices, add the pomegranate and lemon juice and drink within 2 hours of brewing so that you will absorb the maximum amount of nutrients possible.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 34.78
Calories From Fat (5%) - 1.57

Total Fat - 0.08g
Saturated Fat - 0.03g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 17.66mg
Potassium - 306.46mg
Total Carbohydrates - 8.8g
Fiber - 0.25g
Sugar - 4.76g
Protein - 0.23g

Comments:

This tea is good hot, room temperature or cold. However, remember to drink it within 2 hours of brewing to get the entire nutritional bang the beverage has to offer. According to the doctor that wrote “Anticancer”, you should consume your freshly brewed tea within 2 hours.

Pomegranate Juice Cocktail in the Style of Sangria

(Pictured: Pomegranate Juice Cocktail before adding club soda)

I like to have a carafe of sangria in the refrigerator to accompany a Spanish meal. Sangria is one of those beverages that most people seem to enjoy. My husband and I both enjoy our vino. However, we also know that drinking alcohol, while good for your heart, increases your risk of many forms of cancer. Frequently I will make versions of some of our favorite beverages that contain less or no alcohol.

This particular beverage was inspired by my friend Reiko that asked me about non-alcoholic sangria. My first thought was to use a non-alcoholic wine, but pomegranate juice is a great substitute for red wine due to the natural tannins. Including pomegranate juice is good for your health and preventing cancer. Fruit in general is high in antioxidants I try to include it whenever I can.

Pomegranate Juice Cocktail in the Style of Sangria
Makes 8 servings (approximately 1 cup each)

Ingredients:

3 cups of pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon of lemon extract
1 orange, cut into bite size pieces
1 lemon, cut into bite size pieces
1 apple, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup of grapes, cut in half
2 cups of club soda or sparkling water (like Pellegrino or Perrier)

Directions:

Combine everything but the club soda and refrigerate. It is best if you make the beverage at least 8 to 10 hours ahead of time. Add the club soda before serving in a chilled glass with ice and a slice of fruit on the rim.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 95.75
Calories From Fat (3%)- 2.82

Total Fat - 0.16g
Saturated Fat - 0.03g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 19.48mg
Potassium - 338.4mg
Total Carbohydrates - 24.47g
Fiber - 2.12g
Sugar - 17.7g
Protein - 0.61g

Comments:

This is a nice beverage when you want something that mimics Sangria without the alcohol. If you want to reduce the calories and carbohydrates increase the amount of club soda and lemon extract. I think this is nice flavorful beverage that the entire family can enjoy.

Middle Eastern Style Cold Millet and Fruit Salad

We love Middle Eastern food in our house. Today’s salad is not traditional, but is inspired by the flavors that we enjoy. I wanted something Middle Eastern and dreamed this up after tasting the dressing. The pomegranate molasses and ras el hanout seem to be perfect with fruit today to me.

I used millet because it is a healthy whole grain that is packed with niacin and magnesium. Most of the other ingredients are traditional Middle Eastern flavors, except the apple, which I added for crunch. Those of you who know me know how I strive for textural variation in my dishes.

It is difficult to describe the taste of this salad. It is sweet and tangy from the pomegranate molasses, which is very prominent in this dish. It is also sweet from the dried fruit. The lemon juice keeps the salad from being overly sweet. The apple and pistachio give the salad crunch. The mint provides a fresh quality to the salad. The ras el hanout gives the salad a big punch of flavor attitude.

Middle Eastern Style Cold Millet and Fruit Salad
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup of millet
2 ½ cups of water

dressing:
zest and juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons of ras el hanout

salad add-ins:
1 firm apple, finely diced
12 dried apricots, sliced
8 dried figs, sliced
¼ cup of pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup of fresh mint, finely chopped

Directions:

Put millet and water in a pot with a lid. When the millet comes to a boil cover the pan and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes then allow to stand for 10 minutes so that the water can finish absorbing.

Put millet into dressing while it is still hot to encourage it to absorb more flavor. Cool the salad before adding the fruit.

Incorporate the fruit, nut and mint evenly into the salad and serve cold.

Comments:

This salad improves with time as the flavors marry. I like to include this for lunch with a green salad.

Green Tea with Yerba Mate, Pomegranate Juice and Goji Berries

My Italian sensibilities are convinced that espresso is the nectar of the gods. However, my practical side knows that starting the day with a healthy drink packed with antioxidants is a more reasonable approach to begin each day. At home we start our day with this healthy fruit flavored tea. Only after I have the tea will I make myself a nice espresso or machiatto.

Studies have shown that consuming four cups of green tea per day is associated with a reduction in all types of cancer. I can think of no better reason than to include green tea in my morning beverage. Be certain to consume the tea within 2 hours of brewing to get the maximum benefit.

Yerba Mate is something fairly new at our house. We discovered it at the health food store about two years ago. Our initial reaction to a cup of plain yerba was that is tasted like we were drinking “freshly mowed lawn” as my husband so eloquently put it. We quickly decided the yerba needed to be consumed with other flavors if we were going to enjoy it. Yerba is reported to be both high in antioxidants and to be anti-inflammatory. It seems to have a mild stimulant effect that makes it a nice coffee replacement. You can find yerba both roasted and unroasted. We buy the unroasted yerba under the assumption that the less any product is processed the healthier it must be.

Goji berries are also known as wolfberries and have been eaten in China for many hundred years. Research indicates that the antioxidants in Goji berries help prevent cancer and heart disease. That was all I needed to read to give these little dried berries a try. When you buy the berries make certain to read the ingredient labels. Many manufactures add sugar to the berries. We buy our unsweetened dried berries from Amazon. There is a suspected drug herb interaction between goji berries and blood thinners. If you are on a blood thinner please check with your doctor before consuming goji berries.

Pomegranate juice is also high in antioxidants. Consuming 8 ounces of pomegranate juice per day has been associated with an overall reduction in the incidence in cancer. Preliminary research indicates that pomegranate juice is also associated with a reduction in cholesterol.

The beverage as we drink it is a little tart and not too sweet. If you still have sugar in your diet you may find that you need to add a little agave to the tea. I consider this my morning dose of antioxidants and look forward to it each morning.

Green Tea with Yerba Mate, Pomegranate Juice and Goji Berries
Makes one large mug of tea

Ingredients:

2 green tea bags
1 bag of yerba mate (unroasted)
1 tablespoon of dried goji berries (unsweetened)
12 ounces of water (185 degrees)
3-4 ounces of pomegranate juice

Directions:

Steep the green tea and goji berries in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the yerba mate and steep the entire mixture another 5 minutes. Add the pomegranate juice to the tea and enjoy.